Status: Hoo-flippin-ray... finally after much mucking about back up and running with my writing :) (8 months ago)

CelticPen

Location	UK
Member Since	Feb 26, 2011
Votes Received	129
Profile Page

I'm 42 with a lifelong interest in the military and intelligence worlds, also history and paradoxically science fiction; also a host of other subjects; some of which have come out in my writing already; others may come out in future stories or possibly not at all.

I've done little bits of writing for the last - probably - 30 years but nothing really as a coherent story until now.  I hope you enjoy reading whichever of my stories catches your eye, as they say 'If you like it tell others, if not tell me', albeit I do like to hear what people enjoy about my stories too.

Works

Just Ordinary Men

Historical Fiction #317

27 parts / 97 pages, updated May 20, 2013 PG-13

World War II. We think we know the men and women who fought and died for us, and what motivated them. Opposing sides, opposing views and motivations... Perhaps so.. perhaps not...

5,299 reads

Star Trek: Cardassian Galaxy

Watty Awards 2012 #128

12 parts / 72 pages, updated Mar 24, 2012 PG-13

Peace has finally descended in the Federation. Treaties with the Romulans and Klingons - the latter decades old, the new treaty about to be signed with the Car... read more

5,303 reads

The Harp and The Dagger

11 parts / 37 pages, updated Oct 12, 2011 PG-13

Having been thrown out of the Regiment following a disastrous mission under his command, Captain Dennis 'Dotsie' Doheny is spending time with his sister and brother-in-law awaiting reassignment. Fate has other plans for him however...

1,782 reads

CelticPen's Reading List

Now and Forever They Sleep

39 reads

Star Trek: The Federation Chronicles

613 reads

Journeys of the Shepherd

5,722 reads

Caught In The Kings Spell

9,139 reads

Message Board

CelticPen
4 months ago

Review Etiquette.  (Well I couldn't think of another title :))

I have absolutely no problem *whatsoever* with anybody posting reviews of my stories, be they good or bad.  In fact I'd go so far as to say there is no such thing as a bad review, however the caveat to that is any criticism must be *constructive*.

It doesn't help the writer if someone posts a review saying 'You're rubbish', or 'You got this character wrong' unless the comment can be substantiated.

A final point.  A review is one individual's *opinion*, and as we know everyone is entitled to their opinion.  However what is not, in my view , acceptable is inclusion of definitive statements such as 'Do not read this story'.  Just because one person does not like a story they do not have the right to attempt to deny others the opportunity to read it.

CelticPen
5 months ago

Just Ordinary Men - Chapter 26 now published!

Please read and review!  All feedback welcome., good and bad of course.  The good encourages me to write more, while the bad helps me to write more and better! :)

CelticPen
6 months ago

Got it! OK.. this technique works for any instance where you have a block of text over several lines, and you do NOT want a normal paragraph gap between each individual line, which frankly is a pain somewhere I'd rather not have one! :)

e.g.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:

Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning

We will remember them.

Instead of:

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.

1. I have discovered that instead of, converting your text from Word (or whatever word processor you use) into plain text, ie Notepad, uploading the file into Wattpad, and then laboriously inserting all the text formatting of the original, there is a simpler way. You can simply copy and past the entire text directly from Word and it will preserve all your formatting! Horizontal rules, italics, bold etc.

2. Now, the line spacing. Initially you will see it still has paragraph spacing for every single line break, even where you don't want them, so this is what you do;

a) Copy *only* the block of text you want single line spacing for and paste into your text editor, ie Notepad. This erases the paragraph markers Word put into it.
b) Copy the text and replace the text wrongly spaced in Wattpad. You should see all the lines close up as the paragraph markers go.

I have tried this out on 'Just Ordinary Men', Chapter 5 and it works. It has several sections which previously annoyed me such as the telegram Ashton receives, and in the two funerals; these are now spaced properly :)

CelticPen
6 months ago

I'm going to have a little play and see if I can figure out a way to get variable line spacing in Wattpad, so if you get a new chapter notification 'Just Testing' please ignore it :)

CelticPen
6 months ago

You're welcome :)  I was in hospital two months and haven't been keeping track of who fanned me since I came out :)

HotAndDangerous
6 months ago

Thanks for fanning!!!!!

CelticPen
6 months ago

Hi All,

First an apology.. I am terrible at checking the news feed!  Many thanks to all of you who have fanned, liked or added my stories to your reading lists, and left reviews - which are very much appreciated, 'tis sometimes hard to know if people like my work without reviews :)

Secondly, chapters 23 and 24 of 'Just Ordinary Men' are now published.. I hope you enjoy them!  We're not done with Ashton and Alfelt yet by a long way! :)

CelticPen
6 months ago

Just Ordinary Men - Chapter 22 now published! :)  I hope you enjoy it, please let me know what you think :)  (I just realised I forgot to post when chapter 21 was done!  Whoops!  I hope you enjoy both! :))

CelticPen
7 months ago

Hi all.. I've just completed a minor rewrite to Just Ordinary Men.  The content is substantively unchanged, but the dialogue sections have been altered to split each new speaker onto a new line, as per convention.  Hopefully that will allay any difficulties which you may have had with the dialogue.

CelticPen
8 months ago

Hi All,

Finally back to my writing!  Chapter 20 of 'Just Ordinary Men' uploaded for your reading (I hope) pleasure!  I hope you enjoy it, please comment and let me know what you think! :)

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